This new book is a wonderful showcase for Australian comickers across a broad range of styles.  It's called Australia! and proceeds will help benefit Beyond Blue.

The artists and writers were invited to contribute by Oi, Oi, Oi! editor and ComicOz Publisher, Nat Karmichael.  The majority of the stories appear in full colour and the production values are the highest I've seen for an Australian book (it's also hardbound and complete with a dust jacket).

My own piece in the book is a four page story introducing "Drover Girl," a long time character in my stable who I haven't completed pages for until this point.  If you like horses and Australian historical stories, you might find something to like in this.

There are a few page samples for the book, including the full first page of "Drover Girl" at: The Comic Oz Store.

You'll also find a one pager, "10 Great Things About Penguins," illustrated by the legendary Paul Harris!  We go back a long way, to the Reverie days of the early '80s, so it's nice to finally have collaborated on a piece.  His style is as hilarious and inimitable as always.

Those two pieces should give some idea of the range in this book.  Personally, I think it's one of those big, essential Australian comic anthologies that come along only once in a while - well worth the purchase price for individuals or libraries with an interest in our local comicking.

As for whether there will be more Drover Girl, at this stage I can't say.  If the right magazine was willing to commission me (as in pay), I'd certainly consider producing this as a regular feature.

Labels: Australian comics, Comic anthologies, Dillon Naylor, Drover Girl, Miscellaneous comic pieces, Reverie

The other day I was cleaning out stuff at my mother's house and found a copy of the first issue of Reverie. Kevin Patrick has written an excellent piece on this early Australian anthology comic - Reverie Remembered - originally written for Collectormania magazine. Thanks for the memories, Kev! I was happy to be a part of this widely distributed (but all too often overlooked) Australian comic of the early '80s. Gary Dellar did amazing things getting a disparate body of work neatly gathered in an ongoing anthology. His commitment was amazing, even to setting up his own press to print the later issues. This cover (featuring Maelstrom) is the one I did for no. 4. Kevin Patrick writes it up better than I could, so I highly recommend his review!

Labels: Australian comics, Comic anthologies, Maelstrom, Reverie